Thursday, January 15, 2009

It's happened before, and it will happen again: the U.S. Airways flight earlier today which crash-landed in the Hudson River was the result of a bird strike.

In fact, according to an air controllers union spokesman said, the Airbus A320 experienced not one, but two bird strikes.

The Federal Aviation Administration said that all passengers on U.S. Airways Flight 1549 were off the plane and safe.

New York Gov. David Paterson said in a news conference Thursday evening, "We've had the miracle on 34th Street for some time and now I believe we've had a miracle on the Hudson."

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, "We do not believe there are any serious injuries. The pilot did a masterful job of landing the plane in the river and getting the passengers out."

Air Traffic Controllers Union spokesman Doug Church said the pilot noted a "double bird strike," apparently meaning that birds had hit both of the plane's jet engines. After reporting the bird strike, the pilot asked to return to the ground immediately.

According to the FAA, bird strikes cost US aviation $600 million annually and has resulted in over 200 worldwide deaths since 1988.

In fact, the first bird strike was reported by Orville Wright in 1905.